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The United Mileage Plus program has 4 status tiers that members can qualify for – Silver, Gold, Platinum, and 1k®. However, there’s a 5th tier that isn’t publicly advertised on the United Airlines website and that is the United Global Services.
United Global Services is one level higher than Premiere 1k and it’s a discreet, invite-only status that’s extended to a few United Elites. United doesn’t give much information on who qualifies but it’s been known to the frequent flyer community that prominent and influential people are the top priority.
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How To Qualify For United Global Services?
United Global Services is the crème de la crème of the United Mileage Plus loyalty program. Qualified members will get extra special treatment on United Flights, far better than what Premier 1K members get.
Join The Million Miler Program
As of this writing, the only publicly announced method to get a United Global Services status is through the Million Miler Program a.k.a United’s lifetime elite status.
To do that, you need to earn Lifetime Flight Miles which is basically the total distance you’ve flown on United Airlines and United Airlines Express flights since the day you joined the United Mileage Plus program.
The Million Miler Program has four tiers and once you reach each tier, you can choose a companion and gift him/her the current lifetime status that you have. Here are its requirements:
- Premier Gold Lifetime Status – One million Lifetime miles
- Premier Platinum Lifetime Status – Two million Lifetime miles
- Premier 1K® Lifetime Status– Three million Lifetime miles
- United Global Services® – Four million Lifetime miles
Earning one million lifetime miles is already hard so imagine having to do that four times just to earn United Gold Services status. If you break it down, you need to fly at least 100,000 miles per year for 40 years to earn 4,000,000 miles.
Wait For An Invitation
The other way of earning United Global Service is by invitation with criteria that United Airlines hasn’t officially published on their website. Wh
- Spend a lot of money on United flights and United Express flights. The chances of getting invited is big if you’re spending more than $50,000 per year on flights. This means that you can get an invite even before reaching 4,000,000 lifetime miles.
- Influencers in the air travel industry. Bloggers, Youtubers, and social media personalities who have a massive following have a possibility of getting an invite from United.
- Celebrities, business executives, government officials, and other important people.
Members who got their United Global Services status by invitation do not have lifetime status which means that United can take it away if they want to. However, you can also choose a companion and gift them a Global Services Status, and they will continue to have it as long as you also have yours.
Read More: Is The United Explorer Card Worth It? Credit Card Review & Comparisons
United Global Services Benefits
Global Service members are considered as United Elites or VIPs so their benefits depend on what they want. While there are no pre-listed benefits, these are the possible options that have been shared around the frequent flyer community.
Priority Upgrades
Get the highest priority when it comes to upgrades and re-bookings. You’ll be the first in line even on sold-out flights and irregular operations.
Special Upgrade Certificates
Get exclusive access to more upgrade certificates when you fly with United. Regular Premier members don’t have access to this.
Companion Saver Award
Get a companion saver award when you pay for a cash ticket. For example, if a Global Service member buys a first-class ticket in cash, his/her traveling companion can book an award ticket in the same class but at a cheaper price.
Mercedez-Benz Transfers
Ride in a Mercedez-Benz when you transfer from one flight to another. This isn’t guaranteed as availability varies per airport.
Exclusive Global Services Customer Service
A dedicated number or email address for Global Service members means a lesser wait time when you have inquiries, requests, or concerns.
Priority Check-in & Boarding
Check-in lanes specifically made for members so you can cruise through airport security and avoid long lines. You’ll also be one of the first people to board the plane.
United Club Access
While having a United Club Infinite Card comes with complimentary United Club Access, it’s good to know that it’s also offered to Global Service Members. This perk is for people who were offered membership by invitation but don’t have a United co-branded credit card.
How Many People Are United Global Services Members?
No one knows that exact numbers but frequent flyer forums have speculated that number to be around 15,000 – 30,000.
But did you know that there’s another tier that’s way more exclusive than United Global Services? It’s called the United Chairman’s Circle status and only corporations, who have exclusive contracts with United with at least $5 million in annual spending, are eligible to be a part of this special program.
Not only that, only one person from a qualified company can get the membership so it’s most likely CEOs of multi-million dollar businesses.
Read More: United Adds Money And Miles Options And A New Transfer Partner
Bottomline
Most of us might not be able to get an invite or earn 4,000,000 lifetime miles but it’s nice to have a bit of knowledge on what benefits United Global Services members get.
The most doable scenario for an average United loyalist would be getting Premier 1k status. It’s still a great status that comes with multiple travel benefits like 11 bonus miles per dollar, discount fares, seat upgrades, and more.
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